Publications by authors named "Palmira Dos Santos"

Background: A central challenge to closing the mental health treatment gap in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is determining the most effective pathway for delivering evidence-based mental health services. We are conducting a cluster-randomized, Type 2 hybrid implementation-effectiveness trial across 20 districts of Mozambique called the Partnerships in Research to Implement and Disseminate Sustainable and Scalable EBPs (PRIDE) program. Following training of nonspecialized providers in facilitation of evidence-based treatments for mental health and informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), we identified how PRIDE compares to care as usual and the perceived barriers and facilitators of implementation and modifications needed for widescale service delivery and scale-up.

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Background: Humanitarian emergencies are a major global health challenge with the potential to have a profound impact on people's mental and psychological health. Displacement is a traumatic event that disrupts families and affects physical and psychological health at all ages. A person may endure or witness a traumatic incident, such as being exposed to war, and, as a result, develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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Article Synopsis
  • A study conducted in Maputo City, Mozambique, with 971 adults explored the structure of psychopathology and identified a general 'p' factor through confirmatory factor analyses of symptoms from 15 psychiatric disorders.
  • The analysis revealed that the identified factors—internalizing, substance use, and thought disorders—had significant relationships with increased suicide risk, psychiatric comorbidities, chronic medical conditions, and reduced functioning.
  • The results highlight the need for understanding various dimensions of psychopathology to improve mental health service frameworks globally, particularly in diverse populations.
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Backgroud: Globally, women have been shown to have high rates of common mental disorders (CMDs). In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), women face significant challenges related to maternity. However, no study has compared mental health problems among pregnant/post-partum women, childless women of childbearing age, and women with children in a low-income country.

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In Mozambique, human and financial resources for public mental health services are extremely limited. Understanding the mental health needs of those seeking healthcare can inform efficient targeting of mental health services. We examined if the frequency of mental disorders in a health facility varied based on the level of specialization of such facility, from primary care without mental health specialists (PrCMH -), to those with mental health specialists (PrCMH +) and tertiary care (TerC), where both inpatient and outpatient mental health services are available.

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Article Synopsis
  • Depression and anxiety disorders are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly among individuals living with HIV (PWH).
  • A study compared the effectiveness of two brief screening tools, the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) and the Electronic Mental Wellness Tool-3 (E-mwTool-3), in diagnosing these disorders in healthcare settings in Maputo City, Mozambique.
  • Both tools showed strong sensitivity for detecting depression and anxiety in PWH, with E-mwTool-3 performing similarly to PHQ-4 for both HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals.
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Background: Psychiatric bed numbers (general, forensic, and residential) and prison populations have been considered indicators of institutionalization. The present study aimed to assess changes of those indicators across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) from 1990 to 2020.

Methods: We retrospectively obtained data on psychiatric bed numbers and prison populations from 46 countries in SSA between 1990 and 2020.

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Background: Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability for youth worldwide. However, there is a dearth of validated, brief instruments to assess mental health in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). We aimed to facilitate identification of mental disorders in LMIC contexts by adapting and validating measures of internalizing and externalizing disorders for adolescents in Mozambique, an LMIC in southeastern Africa.

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Background: Emotional Contagion Behavior (ECB), the synchronized expression of emotional symptoms among members of a group, has been observed globally. In Mozambique, there have been numerous reports of ECB in recent years. Since 2010 several girls from a secondary school in Maputo City, Mozambique exhibited ECB which involved repeated fainting spells, sometimes including verbal aggression and threats to colleagues and teachers.

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Psychiatric disorders are the number one cause of disability in adolescents worldwide. Yet, in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), where 90% of adolescents reside, mental health services are extremely limited, and the majority do not have access to treatment. Integration of mental health services within primary care of LMICs has been proposed as an efficient and sustainable way to close the adolescent mental health treatment gap.

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Advancements in global mental health implementation research have revealed promising strategies for improving access to evidence-based mental health care. These advancements have not translated, however, into a reduced prevalence of mental disorders. In this review we examine the relationships between determinants (i.

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Introduction: Unhealthy alcohol use (UAU) is a major public health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Mozambique is the fourth poorest country in the world where half of the population lives below the poverty line. UAU is frequent among drinkers in Mozambique; however, resources and infrastructure to treat UAU are very limited.

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Objective: Stepped mental health care requires a rapid method for nonspecialists to detect illness. This study aimed to develop and validate a brief instrument, the Mental Wellness Tool (mwTool), for identification and classification.

Methods: Cross-sectional development and validation samples included adults at six health facilities in Mozambique.

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Background: Epilepsy remains the most frequent diagnosis in Psychiatric and Mental Health Services in Mozambique. Because it is a major concern, in 2013 a Program for "" was launched in 16 districts of five provinces covering a population of over 1.9 million.

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Background: Mozambique has gradually changed its action on mental health (MH) from an asylum-centric care with long-term hospitalization to an innovative approach to community and primary care.

Objective: To collect essential information on Mozambique's MH system for decision making, to improve quality of services delivered, update MH Strategy and Action Plan.

Method: The study used the WHO-AIMS to assess MH systems including policy and legislation, organization of services, MH in primary care, human resources, public education and link with other sectors, monitoring and research.

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Urgent action is needed to address mental health issues globally. In Africa, where mental health disorders account for a huge burden of disease and disability, and where in general less than 1% of the already small health budgets are spent on these disorders, the need for action is acute and urgent. Members of the World Health Organization, including African countries, have adopted a Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan.

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